Sending large amounts of emails at once is nothing new. In fact, for years now, this has been an approach used for sending email marketing and, at times, even transactional emails.
Still, this consistent and widespread use doesn’t mean mass email marketing is a 100% effective technique or one that all businesses should use.
So, what exactly is mass email marketing, what are its pros and cons, and how should one implement it? These and other related questions are what we’ll be answering in this article!
What is mass email marketing?
Also known as bulk email marketing, mass email marketing involves sending the same email to a large group of recipients simultaneously – a fairly popular technique for distributing communication that doesn’t require a response, such as announcements, promotions, offers, educational content, etc.
With mass email marketing campaigns, businesses get to speak with their target audience, build awareness, boost engagement and conversions, and do more, all depending on the type of content sent within the campaign emails.
And although this email content is basically the same for all recipients, it is possible for it to include personalization.
Who are mass marketing emails sent to?
The recipients of mass marketing emails are strictly people who have consented to receive email communication from a business and, by voluntarily giving them their email addresses, have become part of an email list.
How are mass marketing emails sent?
Mass emailing is definitely not a task where taking the manual approach is a good idea. Instead, sending mass email campaigns using specialized software or services is the way to go. With them, you can automate the process and access functionalities such as email contact list management, scheduling, performance tracking, personalization, and more.
Are mass marketing emails spam?
While it is true that mass marketing emails often do land in the spam folder due to the sender not following the proper email-sending practices, mass marketing emails are, in fact, not spam.
As mentioned earlier, these emails are sent only to recipients who have consented to receive email communication from a business. This is not the case for spam emails which are unwanted, random, and not in line with laws such as GDPR and CAN-SPAM, thus making them also illegal.
Does email mass marketing still work?
The fact that we are writing this article on the topic of mass email marketing in 2023 is a testament to its use and relevance. Still, it’s important to note that this is an email marketing strategy that isn’t as effective as other strategies, mostly due to the minimal amount of customization/personalization involved or even lack thereof.
Is mass email marketing the same as email blasting?
Mass email marketing is often used interchangeably with the term email blasting. Yet, between the two terms are subtle differences that set one apart from the other.
These differences are:
- Personalization – Mass email marketing can come with elements of personalization and thus deliver content tailored to different audience segments based on demographics, behavior, interests, etc. Email blasts, on the other hand, lack this element and are, thus, more generic.
- Targeting – Multiple audience segments are defined and targeted in mass email marketing campaigns, while the same is not the case for email blasts which target as large of an audience as possible without any segmentation.
- Quality – Although large amounts of emails are sent as part of mass email marketing campaigns, the quality of these emails is relatively good, potentially resulting in more engagement and conversions. With email blasts, where getting as many emails out as possible is the goal, the quality of the emails is far less important.
- Building relationships – Both mass email marketing and email blasting have the goal of reaching a wide audience in a short time, but with mass email marketing, the emails sent are intended to also build relationships and nurture existing ones.
Mass email marketing pros and cons
“Similar to email blasting”, “not 100% effective”, and so on are just some of the things we mentioned as characteristics of mass email marketing. For some, these might be cons. So what are the other drawbacks as well as advantages of mass email marketing you should know about?
Pros:
- Cost-effective – Email marketing campaigns, in general, are known for their low costs. So, when a business opts for sending promotions through mass email marketing campaigns, it can potentially save a significant amount of money, which is needed for running, let’s say, social media or pay-per-click campaigns.
- Easy to track and measure performance – In most cases, mass email marketing campaigns are sent using email marketing software, through which you can then track and analyze performance metrics such as open rates, conversion rates, click-through rates, and more. By doing this, you can measure the effectiveness of your mass email marketing, identify trends with your customers, and create a strategy that will be highly effective, which is not as easy with some other mass advertising types, such as print media.
- Gets delivered fast – Again, compared to some other forms of mass advertising, such as print media, mass email marketing gets executed much faster and with much less effort, reaching hundreds or even thousands of people in minutes.
- Has a high ROI – The ROI of email marketing stands at around $36 for every dollar spent. Add to that the low cost of running mass email marketing campaigns, and you can conclude that using this marketing technique will cost you far less than using other channels for mass marketing.
- Suitable for all businesses – While small businesses will benefit most from mass email marketing due to its above-mentioned cost-effectiveness, all businesses can use it to their advantage as it requires very few resources and minimal investment.
Cons:
- Often marked as spam – Coming off as spammy is one of the biggest cons of mass email marketing. Unfortunately, it happens often and is simply due to the nature of this technique. As your mass email marketing campaigns are sent to such wide audiences, their relevance tends to decline, causing email service providers, as well as recipients, to flag them as spam. This can lead to poor email marketing performance (fewer opens and clicks, less engagement, etc.) and a damaged sender reputation.
- Not enough personalization – Email recipients nowadays expect high levels of personalization. And while some of it can be incorporated within mass email marketing campaigns, it can never reach one-on-one email campaign levels where everything from the subject line to the copy can be customized based on a range of factors and information you have about the recipient.
- A high number of unsubscribes – Compared to more personalized email marketing techniques, mass email marketing has a higher number of unsubscribes due to recipients finding the content less relevant or valuable.
- Legal and ethical problems – Mass email marketing opens a whole new can of worms when it comes to its legal and ethical aspects. For instance, the US permits sending unsolicited emails for commercial purposes as long as they adhere to the CAN-SPAM Act. The UK, on the other hand, requires businesses to have permission to send the same type of emails.
- Frequent errors in email formatting and optimization – Regardless of what email editor you use, nailing an email design that looks as intended when received by email list subscribers is nearly impossible, especially in mass email marketing. This is the case due to the wide target audience using so many different email platforms (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, etc.) and devices.
How to do mass email marketing?
By now, we’ve established what mass email marketing is and the pros as well as cons it comes with. Next, let’s go through the steps of running an email marketing campaign of this kind:
1. Pick an email marketing platform
To streamline your email marketing activities and send mass email marketing campaigns with ease, you’ll need an email marketing platform that fits your needs in terms of features as well as sending volume.
When it comes to the features, you should look for things such as the option to send via SMTP or API, email builder, email list management, email marketing automation tools, real-time analytics, email templates, as well as anything else you deem necessary.
For sending volume, you should find an email service provider that isn’t prone to bottlenecking and can handle the number of emails you want to send in one go.
One great option is Mailtrap’s Bulk Email Stream. With this feature, you can send bulk emails at the price of transactional. What’s more, as the Mailtrap Email Delivery Platform supports marketing and transactional emails, you’ll be able to cover all your sending needs with one platform. And no, your deliverability won’t suffer as you will have separate sending streams.
Are there other benefits to Mailtrap’s Bulk Email Stream? Yes, plenty, including:
- Smooth and secure setup
- The option to choose between an email API and an SMTP service
- Actionable in-depth analytics,
- 30-day email logs
You can try out this feature today by signing up for a free Mailtrap account!
2. Define your goals
To make sure you stay on the right track, that your content is relevant, and that measuring success will be easy, set a goal for your mass email marketing campaign, such as boosting sales, boosting traffic, nurturing relationships, and so on.
3. Build an email list
If you haven’t already acquired the email addresses of people who are interested in receiving email messages from your business, it’s time you start doing so through opt-in/subscription forms on your landing page or prospecting on LinkedIn and other platforms.
Also, make sure you do this step properly without resorting to purchasing an email list and give it enough time, as building a quality email list is not a quick process.
4. Segment your email list
What’s better than a quality email list? A well-segmented one! So, once you get enough email addresses for your mass email marketing campaigns, put them into different well-thought-out segments.
5. Plan the content for your campaign
In order for your content to be relevant to your target audience, plan it in a way that aligns with your goal(s) for each audience segment. So, for instance, if your goal for segment “A” is to educate, you can plan an email with a case study on an industry topic or, better yet, how your product solved an issue for a customer.
Other things to keep in mind for your email content are that it should be easy to read, always provide value, and include a clear CTA.
6. Create the template to house your content
Hand in hand with content, are the templates that will store it. You can create these templates from scratch with code, a drag-and-drop editor, or use pre-made ones. But, regardless of what option you go for, make sure that these templates are optimized for viewing on the most popular devices and are visually appealing to your mass email marketing campaign audience.
7. Add some personalization
Although you don’t have as much freedom for completing this step as you might have in different types of campaigns, you still shouldn’t skip personalizing your email using recipient data such as name, location, website activity, purchase history, etc.
8. Put some effort into the subject line and preview text
The subject line is what entices a recipient to open your email. So, besides making it clear and concise, make sure it also intrigues and catches the eye. And, if it’s appropriate, add an emoji to make it stand out visually even more.
For your preview text, also known as the pre-header, located under the subject line, you can expand on what you said in the subject line and further explain why the recipient should read your email.
9. Ensure you’re being compliant
In this article, we’ve stressed a couple of times that mass email marketing campaigns can be tricky to run due to all the laws and regulations you need to follow. And while studying those mass email marketing laws and regulations or consulting a lawyer will be necessary before you send out your first campaign, you can make sure you’re being compliant to the best of your knowledge by:
- Obtaining the right consent to send emails
- Offering unsubscribe links
- Removing anyone from your email list that chooses to unsubscribe
- Not using misleading/deceptive/false information
10. Check for any errors
In the mass email marketing campaign creation process, mistakes are bound to happen, and it’s up to you to spot them prior to sending or scheduling the campaign. These mistakes can be as small as a typo or as big as a broken CTA.
The best way to spot errors is to use email testing tools highlighting any faulty HTML/CSS code, poorly rendered images, broken links, email design unresponsiveness, and even alerting you if your content seems spammy.
11. Schedule or send your campaign
Once you have all the elements of your mass email marketing campaign ready, you can send it out or schedule it using your email marketing software. The time and day when your emails are sent should not be random. Instead, it should be carefully chosen based on the target audience and the segments within it.
12. Monitor and analyze performance
Open rates, click-through rates, unsubscribe rates, conversion rates, and so on are the metrics you need to monitor and analyze to see how close you are to achieving your campaign goals and find areas for improvement.
13. Run A/B tests and repeat
Once you analyze your performance, you’ll likely have plenty of ideas on what to change and improve.
To filter out the best email ideas, use A/B testing for different email elements and see what resonates with your audience the best so you can optimize performance.
Mass email marketing ideas and templates
Now that you have a good idea of how a mass email marketing campaign is created, it’s time to start coming up with ideas for your own. And before you get all flustered thinking you must create something super original, we’re here to tell you that is not the case.
For your first or next mass email marketing campaign, you are free to use some tried and tested ideas and templates such as:
Flash sales
A campaign letting your email list subscribers know that you are running a flash sale in your eCommerce store with impressive discounts. In the campaign, put focus on the short time period the sale is active to create a sense of urgency.
Subject: Limited Time Offer: Flash Sale with Huge Discounts!
Dear [Subscriber's Name],
We have an exciting announcement for you! For a limited time only, we're hosting a flash sale with significant discounts on our most popular products. This is an exclusive opportunity for our valued subscribers like you to enjoy incredible savings.
Don't wait too long, as this flash sale is only available for a limited period. Act now to take advantage of these amazing deals before they're gone!
Visit our website or click the button below to explore the sale and start adding your favorite items to your cart. Remember, stocks are limited, so make your move quickly!
[Call-to-action button: Shop Now]
Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to grab our high-quality products at unbeatable prices. Happy shopping!
Best regards,
[Your Company Name]Curated content
A campaign consisting of email newsletters with curated content (blog posts, articles, and other resources) from your industry or niche, providing high value to subscribers.
Subject: [Newsletter Name]: Your Monthly Dose of Valuable Industry Insights
Dear [Subscriber's Name],
Welcome to the latest edition of our [Newsletter Name]! We're thrilled to share with you a curated collection of articles, blog posts, tips, and resources that are tailored to your interests and designed to keep you up to date with the latest trends in [your industry or niche].
In this month's edition, you'll find a variety of insightful content that covers topics such as:
[Topic 1]
[Topic 2]
[Topic 3]
[Topic 4]
Click the link below to dive into this valuable content and stay ahead of the curve:
[Call-to-action button: Read Newsletter]
We hope you find these resources useful and engaging. If you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts on any of the articles, feel free to reach out to us. We'd love to hear from you!
Best regards,
[Your Company Name]Showcase of a product/product feature
A campaign showcasing your different products or product features in each email along with their benefits and a CTA encouraging purchases. To top it off, you can also include some reviews from existing customers.
Subject: Introducing Our Featured Product: [Product Name]
Dear [Subscriber's Name],
We are thrilled to present our latest featured product: [Product Name]. This remarkable [product type] is packed with incredible features and benefits that we know you'll love.
Key Features:
[Feature 1]
[Feature 2]
[Feature 3]
[Feature 4]
But don't just take our word for it. Here's what some of our satisfied customers have to say:
"[Customer Testimonial 1]"
"[Customer Testimonial 2]"
"[Customer Testimonial 3]"
Ready to learn more about [Product Name]? Click the button below to explore detailed information, see more customer reviews, and make a purchase:
[Call-to-action button: Learn More]
If you have any questions or need further assistance, our dedicated team is here to help. Simply reply to this email or contact us at [Contact Information].
Experience the [Product Name] difference and enhance your [specific benefit or use case]. We can't wait to see you enjoy the amazing benefits of this exceptional product!
Best regards,
[Your Company Name]Early access offer
A campaign with offers of early access to product launches, features, or sales.
Subject: Get Exclusive Early Access to Exciting Offers!
Dear [Subscriber's Name],
We have a special treat for our most valued subscribers like you! As a token of our appreciation, we're granting you exclusive early access to our upcoming product launches and sales events.
Be the first to discover and take advantage of the latest offers, limited-time deals, and exciting new products before anyone else. This is your chance to stay ahead of the crowd and enjoy exclusive benefits.
To access the exclusive early access, simply visit our website or click the button below. Keep an eye on your inbox for upcoming notifications about exclusive events and launches.
[Call-to-action button: Explore Exclusive Offers]
Thank you for being a part of our loyal subscriber community. We can't wait to show you the fantastic surprises we have in store for you!
Best regards,
[Your Company Name]Tips and ideas for different seasons
A campaign sharing tips and ideas in line with your brand related to different seasons of the year. The tips and ideas can be for projects, events, gatherings, or anything relevant to your audience.
Subject: Embrace the Season with [Your Company Name] Tips & Ideas!
Dear [Subscriber's Name],
As the [season] approaches, we're excited to share some wonderful tips and ideas to help you make the most of this special time. Whether you're looking to [seasonal activity], [seasonal activity], or [seasonal activity], we've got you covered!
In this email, we've gathered a collection of valuable tips, inspiring ideas, and helpful resources to guide you through the [season]. From [topic 1] to [topic 2], you'll find inspiration for [seasonal activity] and [seasonal activity].
Click the link below to explore our [season] guide and get ready to embrace the joys of this beautiful time:
[Call-to-action button: Discover Seasonal Tips]
We hope these ideas bring joy and inspiration to your [season]. If you have any questions or want to share your experiences with us, feel free to reply to this email or reach out to us at [Contact Information]. We'd love to hear from you!
Wishing you a [adjective] [season] filled with happiness and unforgettable moments.
Best regards,
[Your Company Name]Recap of industry news and trends
A campaign sharing news, trends, insights, and more from your industry, helping subscribers stay educated and make informed decisions.
Subject: Stay Ahead of the Curve with Our Latest Industry Insights
Dear [Subscriber's Name],
At [Your Company Name], we're committed to keeping you informed and empowering you with the latest industry insights and trends. Our team of experts has curated valuable information to help you stay ahead of the curve.
In this email, we're excited to share with you some key industry insights and trends that can shape your decision-making and strategy:
[Insight 1]
[Insight 2]
[Insight 3]
[Insight 4]
Click the link below to dive into these valuable insights and gain a deeper understanding of the industry landscape:
[Call-to-action button: Read Insights]
We hope these insights provide you with valuable knowledge and inspire innovative ideas for your business. If you have any questions or would like to discuss further, we're here to support you. Simply reply to this email or reach out to us at [Contact Information].
Thank you for being a part of our community and trusting us as your go-to source for industry expertise.
Best regards,
[Your Company Name]Social proof and success stories
A campaign sharing success stories, case studies, or collections of social proof of how you have helped customers with your product or service. Especially effective when it features before and afters or measurable results.
Subject: Inspiring Customer Success Stories: See How [Your Company Name] Makes a Difference
Dear [Subscriber's Name],
We're excited to share inspiring stories of how our products/services have made a positive impact on our customers' lives. These success stories showcase the real value and transformation that [Your Company Name] can bring.
In this email, we highlight one of our remarkable customers, [Customer Name], who experienced incredible results with our [Product/Service]. [Describe their situation before using your product/service]. After implementing [Product/Service], they achieved [specific results or benefits]. Here's what they had to say:
"[Customer Testimonial]"
To read the full story and see the remarkable transformation, click the button below:
[Call-to-action button: Read Customer Success Story]
We hope this story inspires and motivates you to explore how [Your Company Name] can make a difference in your life as well. If you have any questions or want to learn more, feel free to reach out to us. We're here to assist you on your journey.
Best regards,
[Your Company Name]Event announcements or reminders
A campaign announcing/reminding about upcoming events like webinars, conferences, and similar, with the benefits of attending properly highlighted.
Subject: Don’t Miss Out! Upcoming [Event Name] – Register Now!
Dear [Subscriber's Name],
We want to ensure you don't miss out on our upcoming [Event Name]. It's going to be an exciting and informative experience that you won't want to miss. Mark your calendars and register now to secure your spot!
Event Details:
Date: [Event Date]
Time: [Event Time]
Location/Venue: [Event Location]
Agenda: [Event Agenda/Highlights]
Our [Event Name] will offer invaluable insights, networking opportunities, and [additional benefits]. Be prepared to [describe the key benefits of attending]. Don't forget to bring your questions and enthusiasm!
To reserve your spot, click the button below to register:
[Call-to-action button: Register Now]
If you've already registered, thank you for your participation. We look forward to seeing you at the event!
For any inquiries or assistance, please feel free to reach out to our dedicated event team at [Contact Information].
Best regards,
[Your Company Name]Holiday messages and offers
A campaigns sending holiday greetings and/or presenting special offers, discounts, and so on, which are active during the holiday season.
Subject: Warm Wishes and Special Holiday Offers from [Your Company Name]
Dear [Subscriber's Name],
The holiday season is here, and we want to take a moment to send you warm wishes and express our heartfelt gratitude for your support throughout the year. We hope this festive season fills your life with joy, happiness, and beautiful memories.
To make your celebrations even more special, we have exclusive holiday offers and discounts just for you. Explore our handpicked selection of [products/services] perfect for gifting or for treating yourself. Let's spread the holiday cheer together!
Click the button below to discover our holiday collection and enjoy our special offers:
[Call-to-action button: Shop Holiday Offers]
We've also made it easy for you to find the perfect gifts for your loved ones. Check out our holiday gift guide for inspiration and thoughtful ideas that will bring smiles to their faces.
[Call-to-action button: View Gift Guide]
Once again, we wish you a joyful and magical holiday season. Thank you for being a part of our [Your Company Name] family.
Warmest regards,
[Your Company Name]Tips and best practices for mass email marketing
Following the mass email marketing campaign creation steps we went through earlier in the article will likely result in you launching a decent campaign on the first attempt. Now, to make that campaign a great one, you should also follow some of the most popular tips for mass email marketing and best practices, such as:
Have a separate stream for sending your mass emails for better deliverability
Most email senders distribute more than one type of message to their email list subscribers. In other words, along with your mass marketing emails, you’ll most likely be sending transactional ones as well.
When doing this, it’s crucial you follow the best practice of routing mass marketing and transactional emails through separate infrastructure, different IPs, and, if possible, different domains or subdomains. Why? For better email deliverability!
You see, by separating mass marketing and transactional emails into different message streams, you help mailbox providers differentiate between the more critical (transactional emails) and less critical messages (mass marketing emails) that need to reach your email list subscribers and also give them a clearer understanding of your sending practices, thus keeping deliverability high for both streams.
What’s more, with different streams, you get separate suppression lists meaning that a contact that is suppressed from the mass marketing stream can still normally receive emails from the transactional one and vice versa. No spam complaints or hard bounces from one stream hurting the message delivery of the other, or your domain reputation!
Find the best day and the best time to send mass marketing emails
The optimal send day and send time for any email campaign, including bulk ones, will vary from business to business as each belongs to a specific industry, has a different target audience spread across different time zones, and has a different goal in mind. Still, there are certain days and times that are considered generally safe for sending your campaign:
- Weekdays, especially Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday – days when most people are not focused on catching up on work and starting the week or gradually logging off in preparation for the weekend
- The middle of the morning (10 AM) or early afternoon (1-3 PM) – times when most people are well into their workdays and inbox or doing the pre/post-lunch email check
Avoid buying leads/email addresses for mass email marketing campaigns
How legal or illegal buying leads/email addresses for mass email marketing campaigns highly depends on the enforced laws and regulations. Still, it’s very important to be aware that many of the individuals on purchased email lists have not really consented to be contacted for promotional purposes by you or other businesses, making sending even a single email to them a violation of CAN-SPAM and GDPR.
That being said, if you are considering purchasing an email list legally, make sure you carefully evaluate the provider. If you’re not building an email list organically, there are cons that come with it – legal issues, low engagement, high unsubscribe rates, high bounce rates, damaged sender reputation, etc. – which you need to think about and whether it’s something you’re willing to deal with.
Be realistic about mass email marketing response rates
Mass email marketing campaign messages fall under the category of cold email, so expecting the same or at least a similar response rate is taking the realistic route. This response rate can range anywhere from a single-digit percentage to about 10% or a bit more.
Giving an exact number for the expected response rate is difficult as it varies widely depending on factors such as industry, audience, campaign content, and email list quality. Still, the percentages above should give you a good idea of what you might see in your mass email marketing performance reports, so do jot them down.
Make the email content valuable
Without value, the content of the emails you send as part of your mass email marketing campaign is just text that will rarely get read. What’s more, it might be what pushes a recipient to opt out of receiving any more “useless” emails from you.
To tackle this, ensure that each of your emails contains one or more of the following:
- Relevant information
- Educational information
- Interesting offers and/or recommendations
- Other types of content that address your target audience’s needs and interests
Also, make sure that the focal point of your email and the place where most of its value lies is in the textual part of the content. Why? Well, just think of how many times the visuals in the emails you received didn’t render properly or at all. If that happens to be the case for your emails, you want to know for certain that the value is still there even if the visuals aren’t.
Give your email list a regular cleaning
Building it is not the only task related to your email list you must complete. In fact, it’s only the first step. Once the list is complete, cleaning it up from inactive or invalid email addresses and spam folder traps should become a recurring task on your to-do list. This way, you will reduce the number of bounces, avoid being marked as a spammer, and save resources that would otherwise be used to contact addresses that aren’t correct, real, or used by anyone.
Warm up your IP
Establishing a positive reputation with internet service providers, or in other words, warming up your IP address, is a step recommended for anyone wanting to send a mass email marketing campaign from a new or inactive IP address. If this step is skipped, the email sender risks having their emails flagged as spam and facing poor delivery rates.
Get the help you need
All the steps, tips, and best practices covered in this article serve as proof that mass email marketing is no easy task. From the technical to the legal aspects, everything can be a bit more complicated than what your average email marketer is used to. So, to make things easier for you or the people in your marketing team in charge of managing mass email marketing campaigns, don’t hesitate to contact a lawyer, email deliverability expert, agencies that do mass email marketing, or any other professionals to help you with issues.
Subscribing to email marketing tools and bulk email services is also a good idea, but more on that in the next section.
Bonus tip: Make sure you comply with the latest sender requirements from Google and Yahoo.
Best mass email marketing services
What better way to wrap this extensive article up than by giving some good recommendations for mass email marketing software? Software solutions of this kind should be able to help you streamline as well as automate your mass email marketing efforts and send follow-ups with features such as email creation, email delivery, email workflow creation, personalization, email list management, scheduling, performance tracking, performance analysis, A/B testing, integrations with CRM software, and more, so having them in your arsenal is definitely a must.
Here is a list of some popular ones:
- Brevo
- SendGrid
- Mailchimp
- Mailjet
- Elastic Email
- Mailgun
And that is all for this article! We hope you enjoyed it and found most, if not all, of the information on the basics of mass email marketing in it. Now, it’s time to put your knowledge and our tips to the test by running your first mass email marketing campaign or making any necessary improvements to your existing ones. Good luck!